Holder arrangement



Oct. 8, 1968 E. vo WED E IL 3,404,501

' HOLDER ARRANGEMENT Filed July 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 5 5' f N 3\ I I \7 4 i \IO In venta r: flwn 4 4 dz! r finker Oct. 8, 1968 V N WEDEL 3,404,501 I HOLDER ARRANGEMENT Filed July 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor:

(me n fink United States Patent "Ice 3,404,501 HOLDER ARRANGEMENT Ernst von Wedel, Senne I, Germany, assignor to Heinz & Schuermann & Co., Bielefeld, Germany Filed July 20, 1966, Ser. No. 566,695 Claims priority, application Germany, July 27, 1965, Sch 37,445 Claims. (Cl. 52-475) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A frame is provided with an opening bounded by an inner face, and a panel is adapted to be received in this opening. At least one compensating member is arranged between the frame and the panel received in the opening and is adjustable for movement in the general plane of the opening toward and away from the adjoining portion of the aforementioned inner face to thereby select the position of the panel within the opening.

The present invention relates to a holder arrangement, and more particularly to an arrangement for holding window panes and similar panels which are accommodated in the opening of a frame.

It is well known that the introduction of a panel, such as a window pane, into the opening of a frame arranged to accommodate the panel results in the deformation of the frame under the weight of the panel. It will, of course, be understood that this refers only to such instances where the panel is of a size and weight which can bring such a deformation about; in the case of very small panels this effect is not to be found. Naturally, a permanent deformation of the frame is not tolerable, particularly if the frame is of the type which must move relative to a stationary structure, such as for instance in large casement windows, in rotary doors and the like.

Two different approaches are known from the prior art, which attempt to overcome this problem. The first of these is based on the fact that it is possible to determine in advance the form and extent of deformation of the frame which will take place upon insertion of the panel into its opening. In frames such as are used in casementtype windows, where the frame turns about a given axis to enable opening and closing of the window, the deformation of a rectangular frame upon insertion of the panel thereinto results in a downwardly slopping parallelogramshaped configuration. To counteract this, the frames have heretofore been initially given an upwardly-sloping parallelograrn-shaped configuration which was so calculated that the deformation resulting from insertion of the panel into the frame produce for the latter a substantially rectangular configuration. However, the calculations necessary for this can never be accurate enough to completely prevent binding of the deformed frame with respect to its stationary supporting structure since the exact extent of deformation depends not only on the weight of the panel, but also on the resistance to deformation of the frame, the hinges, the exactness of all frame dimensions, and other factors. Thus, this approach has been found to be less than satisfactory.

The other, and generally more satisfactory approach, has been to adjust the panel within the openingof the frame so as to in effect balance out the weight of the panel. This has been accomplished by inserting small blocks of hard wood treated with suitable preservatives between the frame and the panel and to move them in the clearance between the frame and panel until the weight of the latter is balanced out and the deformation of the frame, in the example of the parallelogram deformation, has been counteracted so that the frame now has a rec- 3,404,501 Patented Oct. 8, 1968 tangular configuration. However, this is a rather cumbersome process since it is generally necessary to try several blocks of different thicknesses before a properly fitting block has been found. Obviously, the panel must be removed whenever the blocks are exchanged for others of a different thickness. Furthermore, the weight of the panel resting on the block or blocks which have once been found satisfactory can, in the course of time, compress the block with the result that the arrangement is again thrown out of balance and the frame again undesirably deformed. Naturally, the block or blocks: must then be replaced Which necessitates disassembly of the entire structure, including removal of putty if such has been used for sealing the panel to the frame. All of this is cumbersome and time-consuming, resulting in unnecessary expenses.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a holder arangement in which the weight of a panel can be readily balanced out with reference to the frame in which the panel is received.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a holder arrangement which requires a minimum installation time and permits adjustment of the panel with reference to the frame without removing the panel therefrom.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement which is simple to manufacture and to assemble, and which can be operated by persons with very little skill in the field.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a holder arrangement which can be used to adjust the panel in the frame even after installation of the latter in its supporting structure, without necessitating disassembly of the panel from the frame.

In accordance with one feature of my invention I provide holder arrangement which comprises frame means defining an opening, this frame means being adapted to receive in the opening a panel with at least some clearance. My holder arrangement further comprises adjustable positioning means which includes at least one compensating member cooperating with the frame means for selecting the position of the panel within the aforementioned opening of the frame means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic elevation of a frame carrying a panel and incorporating my novel holder arrangement;

FIG. 2 shows my novel holder arrangement on an enlarged scale and in one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 2, but showing a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section of the holder arrangement in yet a further embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 5 and showing an additional embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line V'II--VII of FIG 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing an additional embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of FIG. 9; and

'FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of yet a further embodiment of the invention.

Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a frame is shown there and is indicated with reference numeral 1. This frame is assumed to be the frame of a casement-type window and the hinges with which it is secured to its stationary support structure (not shown) are indicated with reference numeral 1. A panel, in the present instance a pane of glass, is received in frame 1 and is indicated with reference numeral 2. It will be evident that there is a clearance between the panel 2 and the frame 1 and in this clearance there are arranged supporting blocks 3 and distancing blocks 4 with respective blocks of each category being arranged diagonally opposite one another.

FIG. 2 shows in one embodiment the construction of the blocks. Before going on to describe this arrangement it should be pointed out that the term blocks in this context is of course not entirely accurate, inasmuch as I do not employ blocks in all embodiments of the present invention and since furthermore the positioning means does not include the block or compensating member alone, but also moving means for the same. Hereafter, the proper terms just mentioned will be used in the specification and in the claims.

Returning now to FIG. 2, the frame will again be seen tobe indicated with reference numeral 1. It consists in this embodiment of hollow profiles of metallic material although other material or other configurations for the frame could of course be used. A right-angle member 5 is inserted into the frame 1 at each corner thereof (only one shown) to reinforce the frame. Of course, the longitudinal and transverse sections of the frame could also be supplied in the form of separate members in which case the rightangle member 5 would serve to join them together. However, this is of no significance in the context of the present invention. Threaded bores 5 are provided extending from the outer peripheral face of the frame 1 through the rightangle member 5 to the inner peripheral face of the frame 1. These bores 5 accommodate set screws 6, 7 which are, as is clearly evident from the drawing, accessible from the outer peripheral face of frame 1. Their inner or leading ends abut against the pins or projections 8 provided on respective block-shaped members 9, 10 which overlie the inner peripheral face of frame 1. These pins or projections 8 extend into the respective bores 5' and it will be evident that if the set screws 6, 7 are rotated in a sense tending to insert them deeper into the respective bores, their leading ends will push against the projections 8 and will thus displace the block-shaped members 9, 10 in the direction away from the inner peripheral face of frame 1. Since the block-shaped members 9, 10 in turn engage the panel 2 it will be clear that the position of the panel 2 with reference to the opening of the frame 1 in which it is received can be varied simply by rotating the set screws 6, 7 in inward or outward direction until the panel 2 is adjusted in the desired manner. Furthermore, the panel 2 need be installed only once and does not have to be removed for purposes of adjustment; all adjustments are accomplished from the outer peripheral face of frame 1 so that re-adjustments can be made even after the frame has been secured to its supporting structure, and in fact at any time throughout the lifetime of the holder arrangement.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 differs from that in FIG. 2 in that the block-shaped member 13 shown there is not provided with a projection, but rather has a threaded bore 12 therein on that side which faces the inner peripheral face of frame 1. Thus, the set screw 11 engages the threads of bore 12 with its leading end and the adjustment of the member 13 is again accomplished by rotating the set screw 11. To prevent turning of the member 13 when the set screw 11 is rotated, the member 13 is provided with a groove (as indicated in the dashed lines) in which the edge portion of the panel 2 is received. This is particularly evident from FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment in which rotation of the block-shaped member, which here is indicated with reference numeral 14, is prevented by providing the member 14 with two guiding projections 15 which extend into corresponding bores 15 provided in the frame 1 parallel to the bore in which the set screw 16 is received. It should be noted that in the embodiment of FIG. 5 the set screw 16 simply pushes against the member 14 with its leading end.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the blockshaped compensating member 17 is provided with a substantially cylindrical pin or projection 18 which extends into a bore provided in the inner peripheral face of frame 1. As is evident from FIG. 7, the projection 18 is provided with one or more radially projecting ribs 19' extending in axial direction of the projection 18 and these are guided in recesses for-med in the wall surrounding the bore in the inner peripheral face of frame 1. Thus, a rotation of the compensating member 17 is prevented when the set screw 20 is turned. It should be noted that in this embodiment the bore provided in the outer peripheral face of frame 20 is coaxial with the bore provided in the inner peripheral face but of lesser diameter which is only large enough to accommodate the head 21 of set screw 20. The projection 18 of member 17 is also provided with a screw-threaded bore in which the leading end of set screw 20 engages to mesh with the threads thereof.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8 the compensating member is indicated with reference numeral 22 and it will be seen that its configuration differs from what has been shown herebefore. The compensating member 22 of FIG. 8 comprises a portion having substantially a V-shaped notch 23 therein and another portion which forms an extension of one arm of the first portion and constitutes an angular element 26 which engages the inner peripheral face of the frame 1 in the corner of the latter. The member 22 is maintained in position with respect to frame 1 by means of a projection which is received in a suitable recess provided in the inner peripheral face of frame 1. A set screw 24 extends again through a bore in the frame 1-indicated here only schematicallyand its leading end projects into the notch 23 of member 22 when the set screw is rotated in a sense tending to insert it deeper into the bore in frame 1. As will be evident from the drawing, continued rotation of the set screw 24 in this sense will cause the leading end to penetrate ever more deeply into the notch 23 thus spreading the two arms of the V-shaped portion apart whereby the inner arm, that is the one which is free to move, will engage the panel 2 and deflect it as desired. The set screw 24 extends, as will be understood, through a bore provided in the element 26, and this bore is screw threaded. It will also be understood that if desired the member 22 can be made of resiliently deformably material, such as a synthetic plastic, so that it will, of itself, resume its original shape upon withdrawal of the set screw 24 from the notch 23, and also to act as a cushion to prevent chipping or splintering of the edge panel 2. Of course, other materials are suitable and they need not be resiliently deformable as long as they can be spread apart on introduction of the leading end of set screw 24 into the notch 23.

Coming now to the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 it will be seen that two forms of the novel holding arrangement are illustrated therein. Discussing, in FIG. 9, firstly one form it will be seen that two members 27, 28 are provided of which the innermost one, that is the one which is slightly spaced from the inner peripheral face of frame 1, is provided with a projection 31 which extends into a complementary recess or bore of frame 1 so as to maintain the innermost one member 28 in its selected position with respect to the inner peripheral face of frame 1. The outer member 27 is wedged between the inner peripheral face of frame 1 and the inner member 28 and it will-be seen that these members are provided with oppositely inclined faces which overlie one another. A set screw 32 is received, as in the previous embodiments, in a bore provided in the framel, and its leading end engages an end face of the outer member 27 so that, when the set screw 32 is rotated in a sense tending to insert it deeper into the bore provided in frame -1, it

- will wedge the member 27 more deeply between the inner peripheral face of frame 1 and the member 28, thereby causing the same to move farther away from the inner peripheral face of frame 1 in inward direction and to thus deflect the panel 2 accordingly.

The other embodiment of the novel holding arrange ment which is also shown in FIG. 9 is ilustrated in more detail in FIG. 10. Again, two members 29, 30 are provided whose abutting surfaces are inclined in mutually opposite directions. The member 29 is provided with a projection 29' received in a suitable recess or bore of frame 1. Unlike the aforedescribed embodiment also shown in FIG. 9, the embodiment illustrated in detail in FIG. 10 provides the abutting faces of the members 29 and 30 with ridges or teeth which engage one another. Thus, it is clear that movement of the member 30 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10 will cause a stepwise displacement of member 30 with respect to member 29, the inward adjustment of the panel 2 corresponding during each step to the width of one of the teeth on the members 29 and 30. Displacement of member 30 can be accomplished by means of a set screw acting in the same manner as the set screw 32 in FIG. 9 or, if for some reason this should be desired, the two members can be displaced with reference to one another by hand which latter case of course would necessitate removal of the panel 2 and is therefore not preferred.

Coming, finally to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, it will be seen that in the arrangement here illustrated the set screw 33 is arrested, after it has served to transmit motion to the compensating members for adjusting the position of the panel 2, by means of a counterscrew or securing screw 34 which is also threaded into the same bore in which set screw 33 is received in such a manner that the leading end of the counterscrew 34 engages the head of set screw 33 to prevent the same from loosening.

Merely for the sake of completeness it might be mentioned that center arrangements could also be used for the purposes herein described, and that adjustment of the compensating member or members can be accomplished not only by hand but also hydraulically or pneumatically if this is desirable or necessary, for instance if the weight of the panel would preclude adjustment by hand.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of holder arrangements differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a holder arrangement, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A holder arrangement comprising frame means provided with an inner face bounding an opening which is adapted to'receive a panel with at least some clearance so that the peripheral edge faces of such panel are juxtaposed with said inner face and an outer peripheral face provided with a bore extending from said outer face to said inner face; adjustable positioning means for selecting the position of the panel within said opening and including a compensating member comprising at least a pair of sections is interposed between said inner face and the panel, one of said sections being mounted on said frame means and said other section deflectable with reference to said one section, actuating means comprising screw means threadingly received in said base and having a leading end adapted to engage said other section to deflect it in the general plane of said opening toward and away from the adjoining portion of said inner face; said actuating means being accessible from said outer peripheral face through said bore.

2. A holder arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame means is provided with an additional bore extending from said inner toward said outer face, said other section being provided with at least one locating projection slidably received in said additional bore for precluding turning of said other section with reference to said frame means.

3. A holder arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said one section has a support face for a panel to be received in said opening, and wherein said support face is provided with a groove adapted to accommodate an edge portion of such panel therewithin.

4. A holder arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said compensating member is of substantially V-shaped configuration, each arm of the V constituting one of said sections, and wherein the leading end of said screw means tapers in forward direction and is adapted to be received in the V between said arms whereby, when said leading end is thus received, the arm constituting said one section is outwardly deflected with reference to the arm constituting said other section.

5. A holder arrangement as defined in claim 4, wherein said inner face includes two portions substantially at right angles with one another, said one arm of said compensating member being secured to one portion and comprising a part at least partly overlying the other portion of said inner face, said part being provided with a threaded aperture registering with said bore in said frame means for passage of said screw means therethrough.

6. A holder arrangement, comprising frame means provided with an inner face bounding an opening adapted to receive a panel with at least some clearance, an outer peripheral face, a bore extending from said outer to said inner face, and an additional bore extending from said inner toward said outer face; and adjustable positioning means for selecting the position of a panel within said opening, and including at least one compensating member movable in the general plane of said frame means toward and away from the adjoining portion of said inner face and provided with a locating projection slidably received in said additional bore, moving means operatively connected with said compensating member and including screw means threadedly received in said bore accessible from said outer peripheral face and having a leading end adapted to engage said compensating member whereby to move the same toward and away from said inner face n response to rotation of said screw means in directions in which it is respectively inserted deeper into and withdrawn from said bore, said moving means further cornpr slng a motion-transmitting member interposed between said inner face and said compensating member and operatively connected with said screw means, and said motion-transmitting member and compensating member having respective surfaces which are inclined oppositely to one another, said screw means displacing said motiontransmitting member in a sense effecting sliding of said surfaces one upon the other whereby motion is transmitted to said compensating member.

7. A holder arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein said surfaces are provided with complementary projections and recesses which engage one another so that displacement of said motion-transmitting member with reference to said compensating member takes place stepwise. 8. A holder arrangement, comprising frame means provided with an inner face bounding an opening adapted to receive a panel with at least some clearance, an outer peripheral face, a bore extending from said outer to said inner face, and at least one additional bore extending from said inner toward said outer face; and adjustable positioning means for selecting the position of a panel within said opening, said positioning means including at least one compensating member movable in the general plane of said frame means toward and away from the adjoining portion of said inner face, and provided with at least one locating projection slidably received in said further bore for preventing turning of said compensating member with reference to said frame means, and moving means operatively connected with said compensating member and including screw means threadedly received in said bore accessible from said outer peripheral face and having a leading end adapted to engage said compensating member whereby to move the same toward and away from said inner face in response to rotation of said screw means in directions in which it is respectively inserted deeper'into and Withdrawn from said bore.

9. Aholder arrangement as defined in claim 8, wherein said compensating member comprises an integral cylindrical projection extending into said bore and including at least one radially projecting locating rib received in a complementary elongated groove extending radially of said bore in a surface bounding the same.

10. A holder arrangement as defined in claim 9, where in said screw means comprises a threaded stern and a head located adjacent said outer face of said frame means, said head having a smaller cross-sectional area than said stern and said bore having adjacent said outer face a complementary portion of a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the remainder of said bore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,518,969 8/1950 Woodward 522l7 2,610,369 9/1952 Huizeng a 52217 XR 2,707,536 5/1955 Wooten 524 1 2,856,040 10/1958 Danserean 49505 XR KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner. 

